Fireworks in Yusnaan
by kaibasgirlx
Summary: Takes place 3 years after LR. In the city of pleasure and dreams, they have an annual celebration to commemorate the saving of their world. But while some have moved on with life, others are still struggling to take the next step. Written for the 4th of July. NoelxYeul.


"So you guys are coming, right?"

Noel glanced up from the sword he was sharpening, into the friendly face of Snow Villiers.

"I mean, everyone else is going to be there, it wouldn't be right not to have you there too. You guys are pretty much family, after all."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The fireworks, of course!" The older man gave him a look. "C'mon, don't tell me Serah hasn't even told you!"

"It must've slipped her mind," Noel shook his head, as he inspected his handiwork.

"Oh. Well, good thing I asked you about it then, otherwise you would've missed the whole event!" Snow smiled as he continued. "Back on the old Cocoon, where we lived in Bodhum, we used to have a fireworks show every year at the end of the summer. People from all over would come watch it."

"You guys have fireworks here all the time," Noel replied, not understanding. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is, the fireworks we're having tonight are wish-granting ones."

Noel gave the older man a deadpan expression. When he saw the blond wasn't joking, he spoke. "You've got to be kidding me, right?"

"Nope. These are one hundred percent wish-making fireworks," Snow grinned at the hunter's disbelief. "The ones we're having tonight are going to commemorate that tradition, as well as celebrate the fact that the world wasn't destroyed three years ago."

Noel got up, placing his sword back in its sheathe. "Alright Snow, let's say for a minute I buy this. What makes you so sure they're going to make anyone's wish come true?"

"Easy," the blond responded. "They granted me my wish."

"And what was your wish?" Noel cocked his head to the side, placing a hand on his hip.

"That Serah would marry me. And look, she said yes," Snow grinned.

Noel dropped his head as he let out a sigh. "Should've known you'd say something like that. Well, anyway, I don't have a problem with coming, as long as Yeul is up to it."

"Where is she anyway? I usually see you guys together."

"Inside. Serah's talking to her. Something about _girl stuff_," Noel frowned.

Snow let out a raucous laugh. "And you were kicked out so they could have some privacy?"

"Whatever," Noel crossed his arms, obviously not happy about being excluded from the girls' conversation. "As long as Yeul is okay, I don't have a problem giving her some space."

"How long you been out here for?"

"I'd say about an hour. What?" Noel glared at the older man's laughter.

"Sorry, it's just funny seeing Serah push you around. How about we go check up on them? They should be finished whatever they're talking about by now."

The brunet nodded, but didn't follow right away. He seemed to be thinking about something, his expression pensive.

Snow turned around when he realized there was no one behind him. He walked back over to the younger man.

"Something on your mind, Noel?"

"Huh? Oh…I was just wondering…how old were you when you asked Serah to marry you?"

The blond eyed him for a moment before answering. "I was your age, twenty one." He paused before asking a question of his own. "Why? Thinking of popping the question to Yeul?"

"What? No! I mean, not now anyway. We're both not ready for it, especially not her."

"I don't know. Serah was 18 when she said yes, same age as her."

"Yeah, well, Yeul is different than Serah. Besides, I want to give her a chance to live her life, before she has to be tied down to all the responsibility that comes with having a family."

Snow seemed to be deciding if he should ask something or not. Finally, he looked the brunet straight in the eye. "Noel, mind if I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure, what is it?" The hunter seemed surprised by the older man's hesitation. Snow was usually more direct than that.

"You two have been living together for the last three years. Have you ever done it?"

"Done…" Noel's blue eyes went wide as he realized what the older man was asking. "What the—! What in the hell are you asking me!"

"Whoa, easy, easy, calm down!" Snow raised his hands to placate the younger man. "Look, I was only asking because it looked like something was bothering you."

"Well sorry to disappoint you, but you're wrong!" Noel clenched his fists in anger, as the blond took a step back. "Nothing's bothering me! Especially not that!"

"Okay, I'm sorry I asked, geeze," Snow scratched the back of his head. "But listen, it's okay if you haven't. I mean, certain things can't be rushed, and you definitely don't want to make her feel like you're pressuring her into something she doesn't want."

"Will you _stop_ talking about it?!" Noel glared. "I'm perfectly happy with waiting until she's ready!"

Something about the way the brunet had said that last sentence made Snow really curious. "Have you guys…you know…kissed at all?"

"What! What kind of a question is that?"

Snow raised a brow. "I take that as a no?"

"I…" Noel turned away, too flustered to say anything else.

The older man shook his head, as he walked over and put a sympathetic arm around the brunet's shoulder. "It's alright; Serah was pretty shy when we first started dating. Forget about kissing on the lips, till she was okay with giving a peck on the cheek, took her a while."

Noel glanced in surprise at the older man's confession, before he looked away, feeling miserable.

"Well, I'll be lucky if we get up to that."

Snow removed his arm as the brunet turned to face him. He placed a hand on his shoulder instead. "What's been going on with you two?" He asked, a look of concern in his blue eyes.

"Nothing," Noel shook his head. "It's like you said, it's been three years, and the most that we've done is hugged, and held hands. I don't know if it's me, or if she's really not ready, or…"

"Have you tried making any moves on her?"

The brunet looked up in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Snow stared at him, thinking he was joking, but when he saw the brunet's puzzlement was genuine, he took a step back. "Ho boy, looks like I've got my work cut out for me here."

"Huh?"

"Noel, my friend," the blond said, clapping him on the shoulder. "You and I are going to have a man to man talk about woman."

"…" Noel wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. "Okay…I guess. When?"

"First I'm going to go inside and let Serah know I'm home. Then we're going to go to the bar and get a drink."

"A drink? For what?"

"Trust me; we're both going to need one."

Noel stared, perplexed, as the older man walked away, before following behind him. After locating his wife, and letting her know that the two of them were going out, Snow led Noel to a bar that was a few blocks down, all the while making conversation.

"It's like this," he said, as they passed by several shops. "Women like a guy who's assertive."

"I am assertive," Noel replied.

"No, I mean, isn't afraid to make the first move. See, in the beginning, most women don't want to be the one to initiate a kiss. They want the guy to do it."

"How do you know?" The brunet asked.

Snow gave him a look that said 'Are you seriously asking me this?'

"Never mind, I guess I'll just take your word for it. But Yeul isn't like most girls. I don't want to initiate anything, unless I know it's what she wants."

They reached the bar. It was pretty empty when they entered, but that likely had to do with it being early afternoon. Business would be picking up in a couple of hours.

"Listen, you won't know if she wants it unless you try to find out," Snow replied, as they took their seats at the bar, and gave their order for drinks.

"Well I can't just ask her!" Noel exclaimed in frustration. "I mean, I wouldn't even know how to start that kind of conversation!"

"You don't have to do any talking. You just gotta wait for the right opportunity and then make your move."

Their drinks arrived. Noel held his, staring down at the amber liquid contemplatively, as Snow drank down a large gulp.

"Ah…that hits the spot." He looked at the brunet, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Why don't you tell me what you two _have_ been doing until now?"

Noel shrugged. "Nothing. It's like I told you earlier. We hold hands when we're going places together, and we hug. I mean, for a while, that was enough for me, but lately…it's just not anymore. Every time I hold her, I want to do more. And whenever we're alone together…well…I really have to control myself. It's not easy, that's for sure." He raised the glass to his lips, and took a drink, feeling embarrassed for having just admitted all of that.

"What about Yeul? Has she ever given you an indication that she wants to do more than just hug or hold hands?"

"Not that I can think of," he replied, shaking his head. "I mean, sometimes when we're hugging, she'll hold on for a little longer than usual. But otherwise…"

"Does she ever touch you anywhere else?"

Noel looked stumped for a moment. "Sometimes…she'll play with my hair. If we're sitting on the couch together or I'm lying on her lap. Nothing unusual or out of the ordinary."

"And what about you? Do you ever play with her hair?" Snow asked, as he took another drink.

"Well…yeah. She told me she likes it when I do."

Snow choked on his drink, as he bent over and began coughing. Noel's eyes widened.

"Are you okay?" He slapped him on the back several times.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine!" The mayor of the city waved him off, as he gave a last cough, before turning to the brunet. "So let me get this straight. She plays with your hair, and she _told_ you that she likes it when you play with hers, and yet you never took this as an indication that she might want something more out of your relationship?"

"It's not like it's the first time we've ever done that! I used to brush her hair all the time when I was a kid," Noel defended himself.

Snow arched a brow. "You used to brush her hair?"

"W-Well, yeah! Look, I lived at the end of days, there wasn't a lot to do to keep yourself entertained, and Yeul, she had really pretty, long straight hair. There's nothing wrong with that. _Why_ are you laughing?!"

"Sorry," the blond man snorted, looking anything but. "I mean, just, man. Have you got it bad for her."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Noel glared at him. "And anyway, I thought this conversation was about you trying to help me, not make fun of me!"

"Yeah, you're right, sorry about that. But it sounds to me like she's been throwing out hints to you; you just haven't been picking up on them."

Noel looked away, as he stared at the glass in his hands, before raising it to his lips. "I thought that too, but…I'm not so sure. Aside from what I told you, that's all we've really done. Innocent stuff. I'm not sure how she feels about taking things to the next level."

"Well, why don't you try kissing her or something? That's sure to clue you in to how she feels."

It was Noel's turn to choke on his drink. Or rather, he managed to spit most of it back into the cup before it went down the wrong pipe. "Are you crazy!?" He coughed, wiping his mouth with his hand.

"What's wrong? Worst that could happen is she tells you she's not ready for it."

"Worst that could happen is she feels like I have no respect for her!"

Snow arched a brow. "Wow, who told you that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Noel…" Snow let out a sigh, as the brunet looked away. The blond man scratched his head, wondering how to best explain these things to his innocent friend. If only Serah were here. She would know just the right words to say. Well, he had to at least give it a shot. "Look, you just admitted to me that you want more out of your relationship with her. If you make a move, then don't you think she'll tell you that she's not ready yet?"

"Yeah, but…"

"I mean, she already knows how much you care about her. She's not going to think you disrespect her, just because you want to be with her…in a different way than the two of you have been until now."

Noel shook his head, letting out a sigh. "I guess…maybe…I don't know."

"It sounds to me like you're the one who's not ready," Snow said carefully, watching the brunet for his reaction. The hunter immediately turned to stare at him, a stunned look in his wide blue eyes. The older man continued, drawing out his next words. "So…why don't you tell me exactly what it is you're afraid of?"

"I'm not…I'm not afraid of anything!" The brunet denied emphatically, shaking his head. "I already told you; I want to be sure that she's ready."

"It sounds to me like she is. Question is, are you?"

Noel opened his mouth to speak, before shutting it and looking down, his expression miserable. Snow felt bad for his younger friend, as he tried to think of something to say that would make him feel better. But that was hard, considering he wasn't sure what it was that was holding the brunet back in the first place.

"C'mon Noel, I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

The hunter let out a sigh, before glancing at the older man. "I just…" he looked away. "I'm used to thinking of Yeul as someone who's young, innocent. I mean, she was only 15 when we started living together, so obviously we weren't going to do anything, but I guess in some ways…I still think of her like that, even though she's 18 now. So when I want to be more intimate with her, it's like there's this voice inside my head stopping me, telling me that what I'm doing is wrong; that I'm her guardian, I'm supposed to protect her and keep her safe. Not…" He trailed off, letting out a sigh of frustration.

"She's not a seeress anymore, Noel," Snow said gently. "That's why you can be with her, and you don't have to feel guilty about it. Look," he placed his hand on his shoulder, as the brunet looked up at him. "No one's saying you have to get her in bed right away. That's something you both have to be ready for and comfortable with. But you can do more than just hand-holding and hugging. That's a lot healthier than walking around with all this guilt."

Noel cracked a smile. "Healthy, huh? Only you could come up with something like that, Snow."

"Hey, you're talking to an expert here. Even science agrees that it's good for you, just try looking it up. Besides," he continued, gaze turning serious. "You're probably not the only one who's frustrated."

"What do you mean?"

"Think of how Yeul must feel. She probably wants this just as much as you do, but you're holding back isn't really doing much to make that happen."

"You don't know that for sure."

"No, but I'm pretty good with these kinds of things. Try paying more attention to what she does when you two are alone. You might find you've been missing some pretty clear signals."

Noel looked away, letting out a sigh as he finished off the rest of his drink. The hard liquor burned a path down his throat, giving him a sense of vindication. "I suppose you might be right."

"I'm always right," the blond snorted, as he set his empty glass down with a thud. "That's why I'm the mayor."

The hunter had to let out a laugh at those words, the tightness in his chest seeming to have loosened up a little. He actually felt a lot better, having talked this out with someone.

"Ready to head back?" The blond asked.

The hunter nodded, as he got up, leaving some money on the counter. The two made their way back, talking, but they fell silent just before they reached the front yard.

"Hey, Snow," Noel called, before the older man could open the door to his house. "Thanks."

The mayor of the city gave a grin. "No problem. Any time you need to talk, I'm always open."

The brunet nodded, as he entered the house, followed by Snow.

They found Serah and Yeul in the kitchen, the latter helping with preparations for lunch. When they walked in, the pink-haired woman immediately accosted her husband.

"There you guys are!" She exclaimed, as she allowed him to give her a peck on the cheek. "Where were you two? When you said you were going out for a little bit, I didn't expect it to take an hour!"

"Noel and I just needed to have a chat about a few things, that's all. How about you two? Enjoy your girl talk?"

"Actually, we did," Serah replied a little sassily, as she returned to the vegetables she had been slicing. "I hope you're hungry, because lunch is almost ready."

"Great! I'm absolutely starving! What're we having?" Snow asked, as he lifted the cover from one of the pots on the stove.

"Hey," Noel greeted, as he walked over to where Yeul was shelling walnuts for the salad. "Had a good time?"

"Yes, we had a great conversation," Yeul smiled at the hunter. "I'm sorry you were left out."

The brunet brushed her off. "It's okay. Are you going to tell me what you two talked about though?"

The blue-haired woman looked up at him, a playful light in her green eyes. "Will you be telling me what you and Snow spoke about?"

"Wha—Hey, c'mon Yeul! That isn't fair! Me and Snow only spoke for a little while, you two were talking the entire morning!"

Yeul gave a shrug, as Noel crossed his arms petulantly.

"Ahh…look, if you really want to know, I'll tell you, but not now. A different time, okay?"

"Sounds fair."

"So…what did you guys talk about?"

The former seeress gave another shrug. "Clothing, makeup, things of a feminine nature..."

Noel cocked his head to the side. "Things of a feminine nature? That sounds interesting. Tell me more."

Yeul gave him a surreptitious smile, as she finished sprinkling the walnuts over the salad. "We'll have to resume our conversation a different time. Lunch is ready."

"Saved by the bell, huh?" Noel shook his head ruefully, as he followed behind her.

"There's being a fireworks show tonight, do you want to go?" She asked, placing the salad bowl at the center of the table.

"Oh, yeah, Snow told me about that. Sure, I'm game if you are. Do you know when they're supposed to start?"

"I believe Serah said at dusk. That should be around seven."

Noel nodded, as their hosts entered the kitchen, their 14-month old daughter held in her father's arms.

"Mira, look, Uncle Noel and Aunt Yeul came for lunch," Snow exclaimed, as his daughter turned away and buried her face in her father's shoulder.

"Feeling anti-social, huh?" Noel joked.

"She just woke up from her nap," Serah explained apologetically.

"That's something she got from her mom and Sis," Snow joked, as he sat down. "You don't want to talk to either of them when they just woke up."

"I think that has more to do with us not being morning people," Serah responded with a chuckle.

"Will Lightning be joining us for lunch?" Yeul asked.

The pink-haired woman shook her head. "Not today. She has to finish up a couple of last minute details regarding security. But she'll be there tonight for the fireworks."

After that, their conversation centered on different topics. Mira gradually warmed up as both her parents fed her bites of food from their plates (lunch was chicken with fried rice and stir-fry). By the time the meal ended, she was running around, a ball of energy.

"Now there's something she undeniably got from Snow," Noel laughed, as he watched the little girl chase after a ball her father had thrown, blonde tresses flying behind her.

"I was hoping she'd get my calm nature," Serah mused.

"Hey, she's just a kid, there's plenty of time for her to calm down," Snow dismissed them.

They laughed, as Noel and Yeul helped clear off the table, much to Serah's protests. After thanking them for a wonderful meal, the two took their leave, promising to meet them later that night.

"They make a really nice family, huh?" Noel commented, as they started making their way back to their own home.

"Yes. I'm happy for them. After everything they've been through, they deserve it."

Noel wanted to ask her if she thought they would ever have something like that, but felt their relationship was too premature for such a question. So instead he gave her a sidelong glance, opting for one of a similar nature. "Do you want something like that?"

Yeul was quiet, her expression pensive. Finally she looked up. "It would be nice."

The brunet raised a brow. "Just nice?"

"I never…really gave it much thought before," the former seeress admitted. She turned to look at the hunter. "I grew up knowing that I had no future, so I never really dwelled on what it would be like to have a family," she glanced away shyly. "I spent these last three years becoming adjusted to this new world, and this new life. I haven't had much time to think about things so far ahead."

"Yeul…" Noel closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them. "But now you can. You don't have visions anymore, so any future you want is fully open to you."

"Yes," she nodded her head. "But I think I'm already living the future I want," she added, as they reached the bus stop that would take them to their home.

"Really?" The brunet asked in surprise. "What future is that?"

Yeul smiled. "The future that you wanted. One with people in it."

Noel wasn't sure what to say. That is what he had wished for all along, wasn't it? To save humanity, to have a future where he wasn't the last person left alive? But no, something nagged at him, even as he boarded the bus that would take them home. That wasn't completely true. Yes, he had wanted to save the future, but by the time he and Serah reached the end of their journey, there was another wish burning deeply within his heart. One that had started him on his path, and spurred him on to finish his goal, because he knew it meant his desire would be fulfilled.

The thought bothered Noel, even after they reached their small house, and he was preoccupied with it, though he tried to put it out of his mind.

By the time the sun began to set, it was already late in the evening. Since they were just going down to the pier, they didn't bother changing their clothes. It was only fireworks, after all, nothing particularly special.

But when they reached the boardwalk, the entire place looked different. Sure, there were the usual shops that lined the area, but there were also many booths that had been set up, selling everything from sweets to souvenirs. Noel and Yeul walked among the vendors, looking around in wonderment.

"Wow, so I guess these fireworks are a big deal after all," Noel shook his head, as he smiled at the former seeress. "Want to get something to eat?"

"Sure," Yeul agreed, as they walked over to a booth selling cotton candy and dango. Beside it was a man selling what seemed like jewelry, from the looks of it, except they were glowing in different neon colors.

"Hey, take a look at these," the brunet exclaimed, as he held out a necklace. "I don't think I've seen something like this before."

"They're pretty charming," Yeul commented, as she looked at the bracelets in an array of different colors.

"They're glow-stick jewelry," the vendor replied, as he prepared to pitch his sale. "You won't find ones that last as long as these anywhere. They'll keep their shine for at least two weeks, guaranteed!"

"I'm sure," Noel responded, as he put the necklace back.

"What, you're not even gonna buy one for your girlfriend?" The man exclaimed, sounding scandalized. "A pretty girl like her ought to have one of these around her neck!"

"She's…" Noel stopped himself from saying the words 'not my girlfriend', because really, wasn't that what they were? Or at least…that's what he wanted them to be. Neither of them had ever given a definition to their relationship before, but for the last 3 years, people had often assumed she was his relative since they lived together, and stating to the contrary often drew disagreeing opinions. But Yeul was no long 15 years old, and the thought gave him pause for a moment as he wondered what they would label themselves as.

Luckily, the vendor didn't seem to pick up on the brunet's dilemma, as he continued speaking.

"C'mon, don't you want one?" He turned towards the blue-haired woman. "I bet if you asked, he'd buy it for you."

That seemed to snap Noel out of his thoughts, as he turned towards the former seeress. "Do you want one?" He asked.

"Hey, hey, hey, you're not supposed to ask! You just buy it, everyone knows that! Tell ya what, get her one of these," the man handed him what looked like a slightly smaller version of the glow necklaces. "It's a halo. Here, I'll even throw one in for you, too." He handed him a second one. "Go on, put it on her head."

"Er…okay," Noel looked down at the halos in his hand, before glancing up at the blue-haired woman. "Which color do you want?" The man had given him a blue and a purple.

"It does not make much of a difference to me," Yeul chuckled.

"Okay, how about blue then. That way it'll match your hair," Noel said with a soft smile. He placed it gently on her head, adjusting the front pieces of her hair before stepping back to admire his work.

"How do I look?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Really nice," Noel responded with a grin.

The vendor rolled his eyes. "Oh c'mon, can't you do a better compliment than that? Tell her she looks like an angel!"

The brunet was starting to get annoyed by the man's pushy personality. "How much for it?" He asked, trying to contain his irritation.

"Hey, no need to get impatient. Besides, you have to let her put yours on too," The vendor replied, realizing that he was aggravating his customers. "Gotta be a matching couple, y'know."

Noel glanced at the former seeress, before wordlessly handing the halo over to her.

"You need to bend down, Noel," she smiled. "I can't reach your head."

"Oh, sorry," the brunet bent forward, as she placed the ring on top. "Done?" He asked, starting to rise.

"One second," Yeul smoothed out the fine brown strands of hair, before pushing his bangs aside and out of his eyes. "Finished."

"Thanks," Noel gave her a look as he patted the halo on his head. "So, how do _I_ look?"

"It suits you quite well," she replied with an amused smile.

"Certainly does," the vendor agreed. "That'll be ten gil."

Noel's eyes widened at the over-inflated price, but took out his wallet and paid for it anyways. If the halos made Yeul happy, he would be willing to pay 50 gil if he had to.

"It looks like the fireworks are going to start any minute," he said, as they walked away from the vendor, who was positively beaming at having successfully ripped-off the brunet. "We'd better find a good place to watch from."

As they walked, they ran into Hope, Vanille, and Fang.

"Oh, you two made it!" The redhead exclaimed, as she gave them each a hug. "What's that you've got on your heads?"

"They're halos," Noel responded with a grin. "A guy was selling them back there. Practically forced us to buy them too."

"They're pretty neat," Fang commented, tapping the one on Yeul's head as she examined it. "I like the color on you."

"Thanks," the former seeress smiled.

"Do you think he has more?" The redhead asked interestedly. She turned to the man beside her. "Hope, let's go check them out!"

The Director of the Academy looked around, desperately trying to think of an escape route. "Uh…you can go check them out, Vanille. I don't really have the need for these things."

"Oh, c'mon, we should buy some, they're so cute!"

"Yeah, Hope," Noel agreed. "Think of how great it'll look on you."

"They weren't selling only halos, they had other things there, like bracelets and necklaces," Yeul added.

Hope shot the two a look that clearly said they both just earned his ire, as Vanille let out a squeal of excitement.

"Oh, let's go quickly before the fireworks start! I hope they haven't sold out of them yet!"

Not really left with much of a choice, the director found himself being dragged off by the redhead, as Fang waved goodbye to Noel and Yeul, chuckling at Hope's protests and Vanille's excitement.

The hunter shook his head, smiling, and made a comment on how those two were hopeless. The sky was already dark by this time and the place crowded, as people from all over had come to watch the display. They caught a glimpse of Lightning, who couldn't stop for more than a few moments to say hello, but directed them to a spot further away, but higher up, so they could get a better view of the show.

Just as they were making their way towards it, a voice came over the loudspeakers.

"Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?"

There was a high-pitched wailing from the mic, that caused the audience to groan and more than half of them covered their ears in pain.

"Whoops! Sorry about that!" The voice of Snow Villiers echoed around the pier. "Anyway, allow me to officially welcome you all to our annual fireworks show tonight!"

There was a resounding cheer, as Noel and Yeul took their seats on the hilltop, the mayor of Yusnaan continuing his speech.

"As you know, three years ago, on this day, the world was supposed to end. But thanks to Sis, whom you all know as Lightning, and the efforts of a lot of other people, we were able to avert that disaster. So tonight, we're going to celebrate with the best fireworks show Yusnaan has ever seen!"

There was another cheer.

"This year's fireworks are going to be extra-special! They say if you make a wish on 'em, it'll come true. So everyone, while you're watching, make sure you don't forget to ask for the one thing you've always wanted!"

With that, the mayor's speech ended to thunderous claps and cheers.

"Leave it to Snow to get things rolling," Noel commented, just as the first firecrackers were shot into the sky.

Though he'd seen fireworks before, the brunet had to admit that the ones tonight were particularly mesmerizing. For a while, he watched silently, getting lost in his own thoughts, before he glanced at the woman beside him, noticing that she had her hands clasped together, eyes closed.

"Yeul? Are you okay?"

After a few moments, the former seeress opened her eyes. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just making a wish."

"Don't tell me you actually bought that stuff," Noel shook his head.

"It can't hurt, can it?"

"No, I suppose not."

"What about you, Noel? Aren't you going to wish for something?"

"Nah, it sounds too much like a tourist scam. What did you wish for anyway?"

"I wished that my future will always have you in it," she said quietly, looking up at the sky.

Noel blinked in surprise, as their conversation from earlier that day came back to him. "I'll always be here for you, Yeul; and I'll always be there to protect you, no matter what. I would never just leave you."

The air between them seemed to thicken at his words. Yeul smiled at him, before looking down sadly, and Noel didn't know why. He was about to ask her, when a group of teenagers walking by began to exclaim loudly over the latest set of explosions. He stood up.

"I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?" He asked.

Yeul shook her head. He took off, not understanding what had just happened. All he did was reassure her that he would be by her side, always.

Or perhaps, a part of him whispered, he _did_ know. He stopped walking as his conversation with Snow from earlier came back to him. Maybe she really _was_ waiting for him to make the first move, and he was just too blind to see it. And maybe…he closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them. Maybe his ambivalence towards their relationship was not only affecting his own happiness, but hers as well.

He glanced up, watching the multi-colored flares as they illuminated the sky before fading away, and silently sent up a wish of his own.

* * *

By the time he made his way back to where Yeul was waiting, the festivities were starting to wind down a little. The night air was humid, because of all the people coming and going. Noel asked her if she wanted to leave, since they'd been there already for over an hour. The former seeress nodded in agreement, as he helped her up, and the two began to walk home.

"I gotta hand it to Snow, those fireworks were the most spectacular I've ever seen," Noel commented, as they walked past groups of pedestrians. "They really went all out for tonight."

They reached their home soon enough, as the pier hadn't been that far from where they lived. Noel shut the door after they walked inside, turning to the blue haired woman who had gone to the kitchen to fill a glass with water.

"Thirsty?" He asked with a slight smile, as he remembered her declining his offer to get her a drink.

"Just a little," Yeul looked down at the cup in her hand, as she leaned against the wall. Something about the way she was standing, deep in her own thoughts, seemed to draw all of Noel's attention. It was then that he was struck, not for the first time, that this was not the same fifteen year old girl who had died in his arms, making him the last human left. Nor was she the same girl who came back to him, after 500 years of desperately holding onto that last vision he'd seen in her oracle drive. Snow was right; he'd been holding back long enough.

Yeul looked up in surprise as she felt a slight pressure being lifted off her head. She found Noel had removed the halo he had placed there earlier in the evening, setting it down on a nearby stand.

"Noel?" She inquired, as he brushed some strands of hair away from her face. Something about his touch was different than usual. It felt somehow…less innocent.

"Hey, Yeul, you know that talk I had with Snow today?"

She nodded, as she set her down her glass of water.

"Well, he made me realize something."

She tilted her head to the side. "What's that?"

He stroked her hair for a moment, before his hand came down to rest against her cheek. Her green eyes met his own blue ones, and the intensity of his gaze seemed to steal all the air from her lungs. He didn't answer, as he titled her head up and kissed her, soft and gentle, as though giving her the chance to stop it if this was not what she desired.

But Yeul had been waiting a long time for this moment, and she didn't let him pull away when he tried to. It quickly became more passionate, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pressed her into the wall she was leaning against. It was as if every moment of frustration and unmet needs were finally being given release, and they couldn't stop, because this was supposed to have happened months ago, and they shouldn't have waited so long to do this…

Noel's hands gripped her arms, as they finally broke apart for air. They were both panting heavily, as though they'd run a mile, but at the same time, there was a buoyancy in the air between them. A lightheartedness that seemed to spread through their limbs, making them feel weightless. Their eyes met, and both let out a laugh. Noel touched his forehead to hers, and neither of them seemed able to stop the grin that spread across their faces as they stared at one another.

"I'm sorry for making you wait so long," he said at last.

"I knew there was something holding you back, but I was lost as to what it could be," she answered, her green eyes alight with joy. "I had feared I misread your intentions all along, and that you only saw me as someone who needed to be protected."

The brunet shook his head. "No, I was just being stupid. It took Snow knocking some sense into me, to make me realize that I was subconsciously putting you on a pedestal. That's what was stopping me from taking the next step."

"I'm glad then, that he was able to help you out," she said with a pleased smile, as she kissed him again, but this time it was much slower than before. Noel savored every taste of her, his hand caressing her face, before it trailed down to her neck, resting against her clavicle. When she pulled away for air, his teeth scraped across her bottom lip, and he had to resist the urge to bite down on it and keep her there. He quickly closed the distance between them again, the desire for her very strong.

It was a round of several bangs that finally brought them back to their senses. The two broke apart, looking around in confusion at where the noise had come from, when Noel remembered the fireworks show that had still been going on when they left.

"Looks like the celebrations are still going strong," he mused, as he turned to grin at the former seeress. He hadn't felt this elated in a while.

She nodded, as she glanced at the clock on the opposite wall. "It's lasting for a pretty long time."

"I'll say," the brunet stretched as he straightened up. "They'll probably be ending soon. You know," he continued, as he gave her a sidelong glance. "I think Snow had a point about those fireworks. I think they do grant you your wishes."

"Oh?" Yeul tilted her head to the side, the smile spreading across her lips. "I thought you weren't going to make one."

"No, I wasn't. But when I left to get a drink, I had an epiphany. So I made a wish."

"And what was that?"

He threaded his fingers through the front pieces of her hair, tucking them behind her ear. "I wished for the future _I_ always dreamed of. And that was a future I could share with you."

"Not to save mankind?" She asked interestedly.

"I wanted that, too. But the real reason I started my journey in the first place, was to try and bring you back. I was just having trouble with the step that came afterwards."

Yeul gave an appreciative smile. "Serah said something similar when I talked to her this morning. She said you probably still saw me as a young girl, not as an adult."

"Oh really?" Noel cocked his head to the side, crossing his arms. "And just what did Meanie Miss Farron suggest you do about it?"

"She had some interesting ideas," Yeul replied with a chuckle. "But I am glad that I did not have to use them."

Noel gave a rueful shake of his head. "I'm not sure I even want to know what they were. So, wanna go see if we can catch any more of those wish-granting fireworks? They should be doing the grand finale around now."

"Sure," the former seeress nodded.

He took her hand, and they were about to go out the door, when Noel remembered something. "Oh, hang on."

Yeul watched as he went to the stand and picked up the halo from earlier. He came back and placed it on her head.

"Gotta be matching to my girlfriend, right?"

Yeul couldn't stop the smile that lit up her features at her endearing boyfriend. "Right," she agreed.

They stared at each other a moment longer, before they turned, and walked hand in hand down to the pier.

_End._

* * *

a/n:

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Lame title is lame. But I already have a story with the title "Fireworks" so I couldn't use it again =\

Anyway for some reason, this has always been my favorite holiday, probably bec. I have such fond memories from when I was a kid. My favorite part, besides for watching the fireworks, was the glow-stick jewelry they always sold there. I don't know if they really make glow-stick halos, but I felt that a necklace would be too…idk, girly or something (okay, fine, Noel accessorizes like a girl already, nvmd) and I liked the idea of halos bec. it seemed to fit them.

I know LR will probably make my story completely AU, especially in regards to Noel's character, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. Sorry that it was so long though. I originally intended it to be around 3k or 4k words, but man, once I started typing it up, it just didn't want to stop!

Well, anyway, please review. I hope I made you smile, at least. That was my intention when originally writing this, something that gave you a good feeling when you reached the end. I hope I was successful in that endeavor.

-Téa


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